Drop dispenser and closure assembly



4 United States Patent 13543373 I 6/1961 Armour 3,342,379 9/1967 222/420X ZZZ/546x [72] Inventor MichaelLJerins scarsdaleyNew York 00666 QMMMM WUUUW 22222 22222 S m m T. mum m m m m m m T m mi rm M mmmmm hrr-l N ee G mmmmm .1 CCC E mmf-lf FGGG 8 063 45556 99999 lll l l/ll/ 13 03 1 ll 15228. 37498 ,J, 1 56502 48462 99679 m V .kw m m luva 0 W! 0 nwm m 0 .NI 3 0 61 V mom mw N GE! 0. de ee. m ma Wemfl fla AFPA 11].] 1253 2247 [[[r...

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves ABSTRACT: A drop dispenser and closure assembly for use with a cap and container in which a dispensing fitment is mounted within the neck of the container and a sealing fitn m s m o R & r m S m A U m m m nun 5 4 3/ Y 2 n u 2 M E n" S n s n A m E m R m w m o L n C m De m R n .m mm mm L mfmh hm RC S D5 Umm M HUN 5 DUU ment is mounted within the cap. The fitments are constructed to be temporarily interconnected such that they may be inikahuna cited tially mounted together in the cap, with the act of engaging the UNITED STATES PATE TS cap on the container firmly seating the dispensing fitment 2,848,145 8/ I958 Livingstone.................. within the neck of the container. The construction of the 222/546X dispensing fitment is such as to provide drop-by-drop dispensation, with a minimal tendency for liquid to drip inadvertently from the exit opening of the dispensing fitment.

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. 1. DROP DISPENSER AND CLOSURE ASSEMBLY The present invention relates generally to liquid containers, and in particular to a combined drop dispenser and closure assembly for a container, bottle or the like.

In recent times a number of oral hygiene products have been placed on the market which are intended to be carried about by the user, for example, in the purse of a woman or in the pocket of a man. Such oral hygiene products, which are known as breath cosmetics or concentrated breath drops, are often dispensed by the user directly into the users mouth or on to the users hand from which it is introduced into the mouth. With but a single drop,"the concentrate serves its intended purpose. Due to the highly concentrated state of such preparations, it is possible to package a substantial supply of the product in a small container or bottle such that it may be conveniently carried about by the user. However, such concentrated products have been found to exhibit a high degree of wetability making it difficult to contain the same in a leakproof package. A leakproof package is obviously essential since such package will assume varying attitudes, including an inverted position, when carried about by the user.

Separate and apart from the problem of establishing the requisite leakproof package, the high degree of wetability of the concentrated product causes spillage and dripping during normal usage when employing conventional closures and dispensing means. There exists a need for a dispensing and sealing assembly which is capable of dispensing the highly concentrated liquid drop by drop without leaving any residue which will drip from about the dispensing opening and cause a messy and/or unhygienic condition. Preferably, the drop-bydrop dispensation of the liquid should be achieved only when the container is inverted, and then only when the user lightly taps or shakes the container, with each tap or shake producing a corresponding drop.

Still further these several objectives should be achieved by a closure which enables the container to be filled at a rapid rate and initially provides a container which is of a construction that does not readily break, either incident to preliminary handling or filling or during use. If a container were used .with the correspondingly small neck opening and neck requisite for drop-by-drop dispensation, such container would necessarily have a slow filling rate and would be readily susceptible to breakage, particularly if a glass bottle is used.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved drop dispenser and closure assembly which obviates one or more of the foregoing difficulties and realizes one or more of the aforesaid objectives. Particularly, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide respective fitments for a substantially conventional container and cap which permits the drop-bydrop dispensation of a highly concentrated and wetting liquid, such as a breath cosmetic, therefrom. Preferably dispensation is in response to the inversion and tapping of the container. The present container and closure, when not in use, provides an effective leakproof seal permitting the highly concentrated product to be carried about by the userwith the assurance that the product will not seep or leak from the container.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention, there is provided in combination with a container having an externally threaded neck and an internal neck bore, a neck fitment which is adapted to be mounted within the neck bore and a closure cap which is adapted to be engaged about the neck of the container. The neck fitment includes a fitment body which is mountedwithin the neck bore and has a dispensing bore which has an entry opening in communication with the interior of the container and an exit opening removed therefrom by the bounding wall of the dispensing bore and through which exit opening the liquid product is to be dispensed, drop by drop. The bounding wall is dimensioned such that the dispensing bore is of substantially progressively decreasing cross section toward the exit opening and of a size in relation to the liquid product to attain drop-by-drop dispensation,

2, preferably only in response to inversion of the container and the exertion of a slight force thereon (i.e., by tapping and/or shaking). The fitment body has a top wall which encircles the exit opening and an outer wall which extends downwardly and inwardly from the top wall thereby serving to inhibit dripping of the liquid product incident to dispensation therefrom. The closure cap includes a cap body having internal cap threads releaseably engaging the threaded neck and sealing means which provides a sealing contact with the neck fitment in response to threaded engagement of the closure cap and'the container.

Advantageously, the use of a separate neck fitment enables the bottle to be initially formed with a relatively large neck bore and neck wall cross section. This enables the rapid filling of the bottle with the dispensable hygienic liquid, yet the construction of the bottle is such that it does not present any fragile cross sections. Further, the cap may be provided with a separate fitment such that the desired sealing function may be achieved by such fitment, yet the cap be fabricated of any appropriate material to impart the desired ornamentation or appearance to the completed package.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is the vertical section of a typical pair of cooperating dispensing and sealing fitments embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a typical container or bottle with the neck thereof shown in section and of a typical cap, shown completely in section, the latter having mounted therein the two fitment parts preliminary to the assembly .of the dispensing fitment within the neck of the container;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the cap carrying the pair of cooperating dispensing and sealing fitments screwed into position on the neck of the container which is effective to mount the dispensing fitment within the neck bore of the container; and,

FIG. 4 isa view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the cap and sealing fitment removed from the container, leaving behind the dispensing fitment force fitted into the neck of the container.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 an illustrative sealing fitment 10 and dispensing fitment 12 for providing a drop dispenser and seal in accordance with the present invention. The fitments I0, 12 are used on a threaded cap 14 and bottle 16 in the manner progressively illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive.

The sealing or cap fitment 10 is fabricated of an appropriately yieldable elastomeric material, such as polyethylene, and includes a substantially cylindrical mounting member 18 which is sized to be force fitted into and supported in the cap 14, aswill be subsequently described. Projecting radially and inwardly from the mounting member 18 is a sealing flange 20 which establishes a radially extending seal against the dispensing fitment 12. Depending from the inner edge of the sealing flange 20 is a sealing plug 22 which includes a substantially cylindrical sealing section 22a and a tapered or conical lead-in section 22b. The sealing plug 22 is internally hollow, as indicated at 22c, to enhance the resiliency thereof and the ability to radially compress the plug incident to insertion to the dispensing fitment 12.

The dispensing or neck fitment 12 includes a radially and outwardly extending mounting flange 24 which is formed integrally with the elongated fitment body 26 intermediate the ends thereof. The fitment body 26 and its mounting flange 24 may be fabricated of any appropriate elastomeric material such as the polyethylene employed in molding the sealing or cap fitment '10. The fitment body is adapted to be force fitted within the neck of the bottle 16, as will be described, and is provided with a through dispensing bore 28 which has an entry opening 30 adapted to communicate with the interior of the container or bottle 16 and an exit opening 32 which is removed from the entry opening 30 and through which the liquid product is to be dispensed, drop by drop. The bounding wall of the dispensing bore 28 is of substantially progressively decreasing cross section from the entry end 30 to the exit end 32 and is specifically illustrated herein as being of A progressively decreasing circular cross section; that is, the dispensing bore is of frustoconical shape throughout a major portion of its length except for a short cylindrical sealing section 28a contiguous to the exit opening or. dispensing end 32. It will of course be appreciated that the fitments 10, 12 areillustrated in FIG. 1 and elsewhere in the drawings on a greatly exaggerated scale and that the dispensing bore 38 is sized in relation to the liquid product to bedispensed to attain the desired drop-in-drop dispensation of such liquid product.

The fitment body further includes a top wall 34 which encircles the exit opening 32 and which extends radially outwardly and downwardly from the exit opening 32. Extending downwardly and inwardly from the top wall is a frustoconical outer wall 35 which serves to inhibit the dripping of the liquid product incident to dispensation thereof. Stated somewhat differently, the generatrix of the inclined top wall 34 and the generatrix of the frustoconical outer wall 35 are at an acute angle to each other. Thus, the junction of the walls 34, 35 provide a relatively sharp comer at successive circumferential locations spaced outwardly and about the exit opening 32 which minimizes the tendency of the liquid to flow downwardly from the top wall 34 and drip or spill onto the outer wall 35 and the contiguous portions of the fitment 12, cap 14 and the container 16. Experience indicates that the presence of this sharp discontinuity at the junction of walls 34, 35 greatly inhibits the tendency of the highly concentrated liquid to drip or spill over the edges of the fitment and substantially enhances the formation of drops which may be dispensed one at a time. In a typical, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment the diameter of the exit opening 32 may be approximately .108 inches, the overall diameter of the top wall 34 to the outer extremity thereof may be of the order of .223 inches and the generatrices of the top wall 34 and outer wall 35 forming an included angle of approximately 85. The section 28a of the dispensing bore 28 affords an annular sealing surface to the sealing section 22a of the plug 22 but may be eliminated if desired since the remainder of the plug 22 and bore 28 coact to provide a seal. The diameter of the exit opening 32 and the radial extent of the land or flat provided by the top wall 34 are selected in accordance with several parameters including the concentration of the liquid, the desired surface tension to be exerted on the liquid which surface tension of course determines whether or not in the first instance it is necessary to shake or tap the container to release a drop and the amount of force desirable to achieve such release.

The portion of the elongated fitment body below the mounting flange 24 provides a substantially cylindrical mounting member 36 which is sized-in relation to the particular container to be force fitted therein. The leading end of the mounting member 36 is undercut, as indicated at 36a, to facilitate the initial insertion of the dispensing or neck fitment into the container.

Referring now to FIG. 2 there is illustrated a typical environment which the pair of fitments 10, I2 finds useful application. The cap 14 is of substantially conventional construction and includes the usual internal cap threads 38 which engage the corresponding threads 40 on the neck 42 of the bottle 16. In this illustrative embodiment, the bottle 16 has a socalled drain back sprinkler finish which is recognized by the frustoconical configuration of the upper wall 44 thereof, which upper wall merges into the neck bore 46 of the bottle 16.

Spaced above the internal cap thread 38, the cap 14 is formed with an internal cylindrical fitment seat 48 which is sized to establish a force fit with the mounting member 18 of the sealing or cap fitment 12. Preliminary to the assembly of the sealing or cap fitment 10 within the seat 48 of the cap 14 and the neck or dispensing fitment 12 is mounted on the cap or sealing fitment 10. This is achieved by inserting the sealing plug 22 into the dispensing bore 28. The sealing plug 22 is sized in relation to the dispensing bore 28 to provide a frictional engaging means which temporarily interconnects the fitments l0, 12 for assembly; and after the assembly operation is completed, the plug 22 then achieves its intended sealing function against the bounding walls of dispensing bore 28.

A typical sequence of assembling the fitments 10. 12 to the cap 14. and to container 16 to operatively associate the fitment 10 with the cap and the fitment 12 with the container will now be described by making progressive reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive.

After the fitment 12 is temporarily mounted on the fitment 10, the subassembly of the two fitments are mounted within the cap 14, employing any convenient jig or fixture to achieve such subassembly. The frictional forces established incident to the force fitting of the mounting member 18 of the fitment 10 into the properly sized seat 48 of the cap 14 permanently attach the fitment 10 to the cap. It will of course be appreciated that the cap may be fabricated of any suitable material and may be of any external configuration to impart the desired ornamentation or dress to the final package. Typically, the cap 14 may be molded of a polypropylene, a urea resin or the like. The next step in a typical manufacturing operation is to fill the container with the breath cosmetic or similar product. A typical product which is on the market and which may be dispensed in accordance with the present invention is that as that known as the Binacabrand of cosmetic or breath drops manufactured by Ciba. This filling operation may go forward in the conventional way on the usual type of assembly lines, with the filling time being relatively short due to the relatively large diameter of the unobstructed neck bore 46 of the container 16 as compared to the relatively small diameter of the dispensing opening 32 which is sized to establish the drop-bydrop dispensation. After the filling of the container 16, it is capped with conventional capping equipment. Incident to such capping operation'ancl the engagement of the external threads 40 on the container 16 with the internal threads 38 on the cap 14, the mounting member 36 of the dispensing or neck fitment 12 is force fitted into the neck bore 46. As seen best in' FIG. 2, the neck bore contiguous to the flared bore opening 44 includes an undercut section 46a; that is, the entry end 46b of the neck bore 46 is of smaller diameter than the major portion of the neck bore 46 and is connected thereto by the outwardly flaring or undercut section 46a.-The mounting member 36 of the fitment body 26 is sized in relation to the neck bore 46b and the undercut 46a such that it is radially compressed incident to insertion into the neck bore. After insertion, the cold flow of the plastic used in fabricating the mounting member 36 will cause the mounting member to accommodate and contour to the undercut 46a. After a relatively short period of time (i.e., several hours), the mounting member will assume a permanent set corresponding to the undercut. The region of the permanent set is indicated by the letter P in FIG. 4. By the time that the product is to be used, the plastic flow and cold set of mounting member 36 of the neck fitment 12 will establish a sufficiently strong bond between the neck fitment and the bottle 16 such that the cap 14 and the cap fitment 10 may be unscrewed, leaving behind the neck fitment mounted in position for dispensation of the contents of the container 16. Thus, the dispensing fitment 12 is force fitted into the neck bore 46 in response to the threading of the cap 14 onto the container 16, with the force fit between the dispensing fitment and the container being sufficient to withstand the removal of the dispensing fitment from the container in response to the subsequent unthreading of the cap from the container. The unthreading of the cap 14 from the container 16 develops a sufficient separating force to overcome the frictional forces exerted by the frictional interengaging means established by the coacting surfaces of the dispensing bore 28 and the sealing plug 22 to thereby disconnect the fitments, but the sealing fitment 10 of course remains with the cap 14 in that the force fit between the fitment l and the cap 14 is capable of withstanding the separating force required to disengage the cap and fitment from the container'16 and fitment 12 during the normal usage of the package.

Once the foregoing assembly is completed, the bottle 16 and fitment l2 become unitary structure for all intents and purposes, and similarly, the cap 14 and fitment l0 likewise become unitary. When the cap 14 and its fitment 10 are removed from the bottle 16, the bottle may be inverted slightly, tapped on its bottom or shaken, and a drop of the liquid will be dispensed for use. Succeeding taps or shakes will cause further drops to be dispensed in accordance with the requirements of the user. When the cap 14 is threaded onto the container, the radially extending sealing flange will abut against the top wall 34 of the fitment 12, as seen best in FIG. 3, to establish a radially extending liquid seal. Concurrently, the sealing plug 22 will enter the dispensing bore and establish a seal along its length, likewise as shown in FIG. 3. Still further, the lower edge of the mounting member 18 of the fitment 10 will abut against the flange 24 of the fitment 12 to provide a third circumferential seal. it of course must be borne in mind that both fitments 10, 12 are fabricated of yielded elastomeric materials such that the forces developed incident to threading of the cap 14 onto the bottle 16 will establish the several coacting sealing surfaces.

lclaim:

l. A pair of cooperating dispensing and sealing fitments for establishing a drop dispenser and seal for a container and a cap wherein said container includes an externally threaded neck having an internal neck bore adapted to receive said dispensing fitment and said cap includes an internal seat adapted to receive said sealing fitment, said fitments being fabricated of a yieldable elastomeric material and having frictional interengaging means temporarily interconnecting said fitments, said sealing fitment including mounting means engageable within said internal seat with a force fit for temporarily mounting both said fitments on said cap, said dispensing fitment including mounting means engageable within said neck bore with a force fit for permanently mounting said dispensing fitment on said container, said dispensing fitment being force fitted into said neck bore in response to threading said cap onto said container, the force fit between said dispensing fitment and said container being sufiicient to withstand removal of said dispensing fitment from said container in response to unthreading of said cap from said container, the unthreading of said cap from said container developing a sufficient separating force to overcome the frictional forces exerted by said frictional interengaging means to thereby disconnect said fitments such that said sealing fitment remains with said cap and said dispensing fitment remains with said container, said separating force being insufficient to overcome the force fit between said sealing fitment and said cap.

2. A pair of fitments according to claim 1 wherein said frictional interengaging means includes a dispensing bore formed in said dispensing fitment and a sealing plug depending from said sealing fitment and frictionally engaging the bounding wall of said dispensing bore.

3. A pair of fitments according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means of said dispensing fitment includes a depending substantially cylindrical mounting member which is radially compressed in response to insertion into said neck bore and thereafter cold flows to permanently conform thereto.

4. A pair of fitments according to claim 1 wherein said dispensing fitment includes a dispensing bore having an entry opening adapted to communicate with the interior of said container and an exit opening removed therefrom by the bounding wall of said dispensing bore and through which exit open ing a liquid product is dispensed drop by drop said bounding wall being dimensioned such that said dispensing bore is of substantially progressively decreasing cross section toward said exit opening.

5. A pair of fitments according to claim 1 wherein said dispensing includes a dispensing bore having an exit opening through which a liquid product is to be dispensed, said fitment having a top wall encircling said exit opening and an outer wall extending downwardly from said top wall and arranged to inhibit dripping of the liquid product incident to dispensation thereof. 

